Apparatus for concentrating sulfuric acid



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I. T. G. WEBB. APPARATUS FOR GONGENTRATING SULPURIG ACID.

Pat/ented May 11, 1897.

W/T/VI-:ssES

A(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. G. WEBB. y

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING SULFURIC GID. No. 58,2%29. Patented May 11, 1897.

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THoMAs e. WEEE, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING SULFURIC ACID.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,329, dated May 11, 1897. Application lled July 8, 1896. Serial No. 598,497. (No model.) Patented in England February 9, 1891, No. 2,343.

To all whom t may concern;-

Beit known that I, THOMAS GEORGE WEBB, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Concentrating and Cooling Sulfuric Acid, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 2,343, dated February 9, 1891,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for concentrating and cooling sulfuric acid, constructed and arranged in a simple, durable, and inexpensive manner, all parts of it being readily accessible for repairs or other purposes, as I shall describe. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, Sheet I, is a longitudinal section of the furnace, but showing the vessels and cooler in elevation. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively7 a vertical sectional and a sectional plan of a portion of the furnace, showing the way in which the products of combustion enter the space in ywhich the concentrating vessels are situated. Fig. 4, Sheet II, is a vertical section, Fig. 5 a plan, and Fig. 6 a sectional front view on an enlarged scale, of a bowl and its fittings adapted to receive the concentrating vessel. Fig. 7 is a vertical section, Fig. 8 a plan, and Fig. 9 afront view, partly in section, of the cooler on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through-r out the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, a is the furnace; d', the fire; b, the cooler; c, the concentrating vessels; d, the iron bowls which receive the latter.

In carrying out my invention I preferably arrange the furnace a in a line with the concentrating vessels c, the products of combustion passing into chambers or flues a2, arranged in front of the furnace a. The top of the furnace a is formed step-like and covered with slabs c, and on each step is placed a deep cylindrical iron bowl d, in which is placed a porcelain concentrating vessel c, the latter reaching a short distance above the bowl d. Each of the concentrating vessels c is formed with a projecting lip c', forming an overflowspout at its upper edge and receiving `a tapered tube f, preferably made of enameled iron or of porcelain placed loosely at an angle. The said tube reaches from the lip c of the next higher to the bottom of the next lower vessel c, the lower end of this tube having an outlet-slit f.

The bowls cl serve to protect the concentrating vessels c and to catch their contents should they break, holes d being formed in the side near the bottom ofthe bowl d, from which the liquid escapes into channels g, formed in the brickwork along each side of the bowls d and leading out of the apparatus, where the liquid can be readily observed. Each bowl is formed at its upper end with a flange d2, adapted to rest upon cross-plates 71, h', built into the brickwork, and upon which are also placed side plates h2 h3, forming a continuation of the liange d2 and havin g their outer ends builtfinto the brickwork.

To facilitate the removal of the iron bowls d when required, I furnish each end thereof with an eye d3, which permit of lifting the bowls by means of hooks.

In connection with the stepped series of concentrating vessels described another series t' is employed at the upper end thereof, but arranged upon a horizontal floor c'. Each of these vessels 't' has a partition c" nearly reaching to its bottom and is formed at the top with a spout adapted to reach over the back of the adjacent vessel and thus convey the liquid from one vessel to the other. At the end of the said horizontal series of concentrating vessels a tank la is employed over the chimney-flue l, from which tank the acid to be concentrated is run to the bottom of a cylinL der k' by means of a funnel m, placed in the same, and from the cylinder 7c by means of a channel 7a2 and another funnel k3 into the first of the series of horizontally-placed concentrating vessels.

The two series of concentrating vessels c and '1l are roofed in by means of iron plates n, which join each other and rest at each end uponblocks o, (see Figs. l, 2, 4, -5-, and 6,) made of Afire-clay and built into the brickwork of the furnace a, each of the said plates coverin g the space of one vessel and being readily removable to allow of examining or removing the latter.

The space 0 above the concentrating vessels c and fi communicates with pipes 02 and o2, which serve to carry off fumes, and the space g around the concentrating vessels c and t' with the furnace-flue a2 by means of openings c3, (see Figs. l, 2, and 3,) and at Z with the chimney-flue Z.

The acid concentrated is conveyed from the lastuvessel of the stepped series by means of a channel p into a cooler b, formed as follows: Inside a tank q, see Figs. 7, 8, and 9,) having a lid q and water inlet and outlet pipes q2 and qa, respectively, is employed upon a slab 'r a cylindrical vessel s, open at the top and having connected to each side a pipe s',

the lower ends of which communicate with the lower part of the vessel s and the upper ends being each formed with a pipe s2, reaching over a partition t, formed across and extending about half-way up the tank q. By means of two other partitions t, which reach not quite to the bottom of the tank q, the latter is divided into three compartments u fa' u2, the pipes s2 being in communication with the outer compartments u and u2, respectively. The front of the tank q is formed with an outlet-pipe fu, which communicates with the compartment it and a tank w, ha ving also an outlet-pipe fw.

The whole of the apparatus described works in the following manner: The hot products of combustion from the fire a pass into the fine a2 and through openings @Sinto the space g', where they circulate around the vesselsd, c, and 1I, thus heating them, and finally descending through openings Z into the chimney-iue l. IVeak sulfuric acid supplied from the tank 7c, where it is somewhat heated by the chimney-flue Z, flows through the funnel m into the cylinder 7e', from which it is conveyed by a channel k2 and another funnel 7c3 into the first of the series of horizontally-arranged vessels t'. From this the acid overows into the adjacent vessels successively until it overflows into the tapered tube f in the highest of the stepped series of vessels c. The acid overflows in the same manner from one of the vessels c to the other until it arrives in the lowest one, where by means of the channel p it is conveyed into the cooler b. The acid in flowing from vessel to vessel becomes more and more concentrated, while the fumes evolved escape from the space o' through the pipes o2 and o2, and by arranging the overflow from each of the vessels c to descend by a tube fto the bottom of the next vessel I insure that all-portions of the liquid are subj ected to heating while they reascend to overflow again. .If the weak acid simply overflowed from one vessel to the next without being forced to descend, it would, owing to its comparative lightness, be liable to iiow merely across the upper part of the vessel, whereas by conducting it down to the bottom it displaces a portion of the liquid above it, causing overflow of that which has been heated while ascending from the bottom.

The acid in entering the cooler falls into the cylindrical vessel s, which at the beginning of the operation is charged with about two gallons of cold white sulfuric acid of not less than 1,840 specific gravity. Vater is then caused to circulate through the tank q and retained therein at a level below the partition t by means of the overiiow or pipe Q3. As the acid rises in the vessel s it is proportionately drawn oif from the bottom through pipes S and s', when it empties itself into the side compartments a u2, from whence it passes into the middle compartment u. The outletpipe c then leads the acid into the tank w, cooled to about GOOFahrenheit, ready for bottling, the channel w (shown in dotted lines) being employed only temporarily when commencing the operation, to receive and conduct the liquid to the tank w until the acid begins to flow clear and limpid, after which it is removed and the liquid allowed to run into the cylindrical vessel s, as described. The channel y (also shown in dotted lines) is employed in case of emergency to convey the liquid from the cylindrical vessel s to the tank w.

The numbers and dimensions of the vessels c and t' may obviously be varied, and a single fire or more than two res or gas-burners might be used for heating them, these appliances being arranged in any convenient manner to give an approximately uniform heat throughout the chamber containing the vessels c and t', without any openings which might allow cold air to strike against the same.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. For concentrating sulfuric acid, a series of acid-resisting vessels placed on steps in a heating-chamber g', each of these vessels c being made with an overow-spout c and having placed in it a taper-tube f reaching down toits bottom from the spout of the next higher vessel, and a metal outer vessel d adapted to protect the vessel c and catch its contents in case of leakage, arranged and operating substantially as herein described.

2. In an apparatus for concentrating sulfuric acid, a concentrating vessel, a metal inclosing vessel provided with openings d in the lower portion of the same, and channels g below and on each side thereof to receive the discharge therefrom, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for concentrating sulfuric acid, a cooling device consisting of a tank q formed internally at one side with IOO IIO

three compartments u, u', u2, at the bottom Water is adapted to circulate through the tank xo communicating With each other, in combinaw at a level below the said compartments, all tion with a cylindrical vessel s inside the tank substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

q which vessel receives the concentrated acid In Witness Whereofl have hereunto set my and has Siphon-pipes s', s', the upper ends s2 hand in presence of tWo Witnesses.

of which communicate With the outer com- THOS. G. WEBB.

partments u and u2 and the middle compart- Witnesses: ment u With an outlet-pipe o for the delivery JAMES MOBURNIE, of the cooled concentrated acid While cold STANLEY BRAMALL. 

